On October 3, 2024, more than 20 people were killed and at least 15 injured in an attack by the armed gang Gran Grif in Pont Sonde, Haiti. The incident has forced local residents to flee en masse to the public square in Saint-Marc, approximately 100 kilometers from the capital, Port-au-Prince.
The Gran Grif gang, based in Savien, launched the attack early in the morning, and the number of casualties may rise as the situation develops. The injured are receiving treatment at various health facilities, particularly at the Saint Nicolas Hospital in Saint-Marc.
In response to the violence, Haiti's Ministry of Justice and Public Security has instructed the National Police to restore order and combat those instilling terror in the Artibonite department. The Ministry emphasized that these crimes will not go unpunished and vowed to take all necessary measures to restore peace.
This attack comes shortly after sanctions were announced by the United States and the United Nations against Gran Grif's leader, Luckson Elan. Haiti is grappling with extreme violence from armed gangs, which has displaced over 700,000 people, more than half of whom are children, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
The latest reports indicate a 22% increase in internally displaced persons since June, worsening the humanitarian situation. In the last seven months, gang violence has forced over 110,000 individuals to leave their homes, particularly in Gressier, west of the capital.
Currently, approximately 75% of the displaced individuals in Haiti are taking refuge in the provinces, with the Grand Sud region hosting 45% of all displaced persons. A recent report from the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) indicated that at least 1,379 people were victims of gang violence in the second quarter of 2024, raising the total to nearly 3,900 victims for the first half of the year. In 2023, violence resulted in 8,000 casualties, according to UN figures.